London has expanded quickly over the last 150 years. As land has risen in value, large areas of greenery have inevitably been swallowed up. Racecourses provide a prime example of this. A place where rich aristocracy and the workers of the city would rub shoulders, these grounds have now moved to the outskirts of the city. Below, we discuss the long-lost racecourse that once inhabited central London.
Alexandra Park
Alexandra Park Racecourse opened in 1868, on the grounds of the palace itself. It occupied a small spot perched on a hillside and was known by many as the frying pan due to its unique shape. Yet it was this curious winding track that spectators loved. The jockeys, however, thought differently, as they didn’t like the steep climbs and tight turns. It would also dry up in summer and become extremely wet and slippery in winter.
After the Second World War, the track became less popular until it closed in 1970. There are often talks of reopening it, a sterling idea given today’s current racing boom. Access to races through streaming technology has increased the appetite for UK horse racing. Even racehorse ownership has been made available to more people due to online syndicates which allow participation for low costs. Providing all the information people need through digital means, anyone can now watch horse racing and even own a runner themselves. The sport is in a glory period, and if Alexandra Park was ever to return now is as good a time as ever.
Kensington Hippodrome
Notting Hill is now a thriving, affluent area. Yet in 1837 it was quite the opposite, a haven of crime and a poor quality of living. When businessman John Whyte planned to make a racecourse there, many people thought he was mad. He may well have been.
The area had plenty of cheap land, and building a course right on the doorstep of the city’s working population was a stroke of genius. He used the land to place three tracks down for flat, steeple chasing and trap racing. This also had stables and Notting Hill itself was in the middle of the course, making it a perfect way to get a view of the action going on around.
Unfortunately, the track had plenty of objections. The main one was that many people had used the hill as a passage, a way to avoid going through the dangerous local slums. Locals cut holes in the fence, getting free admission to the course. This gave it a bad reputation, and the higher-class patrons started to avoid the course. However, if the locals couldn’t get it fully closed then the clay ground it was built on did. The lease was not renewed and Notting Hill gradually became what it is today.
Dove House Races
Dove House Racecourse was situated in Northolt. At the time of its planning in the 1920s it was still a fairly rural community. It was designed in a spectacular modernist fashion, painted bright white with glass and arched windows. It opened its doors in 1929 and was rapidly expanded and improved over the thirties. However, this was to prove its undoing and by 1939 numbers declined, when the war finally saw it off.
There have been many others, even including a course at Gatwick. With land at a premium, it remains to be seen if any new London courses will be built over the next few years. If the sport continues to grow in popularity, it could be a genuine attraction worthy of investment.
